Flashback P.O.V “Mother…
Grandma…
I want to tell you something.” Zephyr’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
The nervousness on his face was impossible to miss.
For perhaps the first time since his rebirth, he felt genuinely terrified.
Tiamat immediately noticed his expression and grew concerned.
“Go on, my love,” she said gently.
“You can tell us anything.
We will always be on your side.” Her soothing voice was filled with warmth as she tried to calm him.
Looking into his mother’s worried eyes and his grandmother’s gentle gaze, Zephyr felt his heart tighten.
Ophis wasn’t saying anything, but her eyes seemed to convey a simple message.
Even if the entire universe stood against you, I would stand with you.
And if necessary…
I would simply destroy the universe.
Knowing Grandma, that wasn’t even an exaggeration.
Taking a deep breath, Zephyr finally gathered his courage.
“I-I…” His voice caught in his throat.
“I have memories from a past life.
Before I was born here…
I was a mortal.” Silence.
Complete silence.
His heart immediately dropped.
It’s over.
I’ve done it now.
They’re going to think I’m some kind of imposter.
Maybe I should start preparing a defense speech.
Can I even defend myself against the strongest Divine Immortal in existence?
Probably not.
Slowly, tears began forming in the corners of his eyes.
With great difficulty, he forced himself to look up.
Then he froze.
Both Ophis and Tiamat were staring at him.
With amused smiles.
The kind of smiles people gave when someone spent hours worrying about a problem that wasn’t actually a problem.
Their expressions practically screamed: “That’s what you were worried about?” Zephyr blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
His brain promptly stopped working.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Tiamat let out a soft chuckle.
“My love…” “We already knew.” “Huh?” That was the only response his malfunctioning brain could produce.
Both women immediately burst into laughter.
The next thing he knew, he was being pulled into a hug.
Then another.
Then somehow everyone ended up collapsing backward onto the enormous bed.
Zephyr found himself sandwiched between his mother and grandmother.
His favorite position.
The position that always calmed his nerves and made him feel safe.
Honestly, it was better than meditation.
Who needed enlightenment when you had this?
After regaining a little composure, he looked up at them.
“H-How?” Tiamat smiled while Ophis answered.
“Did you really think an Empyrean and a Divine Immortal would be unable to notice the age of a soul or any abnormalities within their only son and grandson?” Her obsidian eyes sparkled with amusement.
Zephyr opened and closed his mouth several times.
No answer came out.
In hindsight, that had been a stupid question.
A very stupid question.
The kind of question that sounded reasonable only until someone pointed out the obvious flaw.
“So…” His voice became quiet again.
“You’re not angry?” “No.” “You don’t hate me?” The words came out in a trembling whisper.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Then both women’s expressions softened.
Tiamat cupped his cheek while Ophis gently stroked his hair.
“My love,” Tiamat said softly.
“Why would we hate you?” “Those memories do not change who you are.” “You are my son.” “You are my grandson,” Ophis added firmly.
“Nothing else matters.” The sincerity in their voices nearly broke him.
Then Ophis continued.
“We already removed the emotional influence those memories would have had on your soul.” Zephyr blinked.
“The emotional influence?” “Yes.” “Your previous life’s memories are now no different from your inherited memories.” “They are merely knowledge.” “They no longer influence your emotions, instincts, or sense of self.” Realization dawned on him.
Then his eyes widened.
“Wait…” “Is that why I still act like a kid half the time?” For a second, the room became completely silent.
Then both women laughed.
Loudly.
Very loudly.
Zephyr immediately pouted.
“Don’t laugh!” Unfortunately, this only made them laugh harder.
His dignity suffered a devastating defeat.
A tragedy.
A true tragedy.
No one respected the Crown Prince.
As their laughter gradually subsided, Zephyr sank deeper into thought.
Suddenly, many things began to make sense.
The reason he didn’t constantly miss his previous parents.
The reason he wasn’t overwhelmed with grief for his old friends.
The reason he hadn’t spent every day longing for the life he had lost.
For years, he had secretly worried that he was simply heartless.
That he had abandoned everything from his previous life without hesitation.
That deep down, he was some kind of selfish scumbag.
But that wasn’t the truth.
The emotional attachments had already been gently separated from those memories.
What remained was knowledge.
Experience.
Understanding.
Not emotional chains tying him to a life that no longer existed.
As the realization settled within him, a burden he had carried for years finally disappeared.
The weight pressing against his chest vanished.
And for the first time since his rebirth, Zephyr felt completely at peace.
So….
He wasn’t such a scummy person after all.
….
At that moment, a girl stepped forward from the crowd.
The instant she did, my attention was drawn to her.
Her appearance was striking.
Half of her long hair was as black as midnight, while the other half was pure white, creating a stark contrast that made her stand out even among the countless beauties gathered in the hall.
More importantly…
I felt something.
A strange feeling.
An inexplicable sense that I should choose her.
It wasn’t an emotion or instinct I could explain.
It felt almost as if someone were whispering in my ear, urging me to pay attention.
Pick her.
She’s special.
The feeling was so sudden that it snapped me out of my thoughts.
The girl stopped before the throne and bowed respectfully.
“Greetings, Your Highness.” “I am Yvette Yin of the Yin-Yang Palace from the Dual Lotus Greater Realm.” “I am the Third Disciple of the Palace Master.” Her voice was so cold and flat that I instinctively raised an eyebrow.
Unlike the previous candidates, who had at least displayed some emotion beneath their formal demeanor, Yvette sounded completely detached.
It wasn’t arrogance.
Nor was it nervousness.
It was simply…
Cold.
Like listening to a glacier speak.
Before I could ask anything, Mother’s voice sounded in my mind through a soul transmission.
“This girl is special, dear.” “She possesses a rare soul physique known as the Yin-Yang Myriad Soul.” “The physique causes her personality to exist in two extremes, much like Yin and Yang themselves.” “At times she can be colder than eternal ice.” “At other times she can be warmer than the summer sun.” I listened attentively as Mother continued.
“Her sect knew she possessed a special soul physique, but they never truly understood it.” “They were unable to discover its full potential or how best to cultivate it.” “Because her personality shifts so drastically, they eventually sent her here.” “Not because they abandoned her,” Mother quickly clarified.
“Rather, they believed this would be an opportunity for her.
If selected, she could gain access to knowledge that would help her understand her physique.” “And naturally, her sect hopes to benefit from a relationship with our realm as well.”